"I have no time to dispute the point, Mildred. I wish to give one hasty direction, which is to be obeyed. Sibyl is not to be told that I am going to Australia."
"What, never?"
"She must be told when I am gone, but not till then. I will write to her, and thus break the news. She is not to be told to-day, not until she gets home, you understand? I won"t go at all if you tell her."
"Oh, of course, I understand," said Mrs. Ogilvie, in a frightened way; "but why should not the child hear what really is good tidings?"
"I do not wish it. Now, have you anything further to say, for I must see Lord Grayleigh immediately."
Mrs. Ogilvie clutched her husband"s arm.
"You will leave me plenty of money when you go, will you not?"
"You shall have a bank-book and an account, but you must be careful.
My affairs are not in the most prosperous condition, and your bills are terribly heavy."
"My bills! but I really----"
"We will not dispute them. They shall be paid before I go."
"Oh, my dear Philip, and you are not angry?"
"They shall be paid, Mildred. The liquidation of your debts is part of the reward for taking up this loathsome work."
"Philip, how ridiculously morbid you are!"
The husband and wife walked slower and slower. Ogilvie saw Grayleigh standing on the steps.
"There is Lord Grayleigh," he said. "I must go at once. Yes, the bills will be paid." He laid his hand for a moment on her shoulder.
"There is nothing else, is there, Mildred?"
"No," she began, then she hesitated.
"What more?"
"A trinket, it took my fancy--a diamond cross--you noticed it. I could not resist it."
"How much?" said the man. His face was very stern and white, and there was a blue look round his lips.
"Two thousand pounds."
"Let me have the bill to-morrow at latest. It shall be cleared. Now don"t keep me."
He strode past her and went up to where Lord Grayleigh was waiting for him.
"This is good," said the n.o.bleman. "I am very sorry I could not come to town. Yes, my ankle is better, but I dare not use it. I am limping, as you see."
"Shall we go into the house?" said Ogilvie; "I want to get this thing over. I have not a moment if I am to start on Sat.u.r.day."
"You must do what we want. The public are impatient. We must get your report as soon as possible. You will wire it to us, of course."
"That depends."
"Now listen, Ogilvie," said Lord Grayleigh, as they both entered the study of the latter and Ogilvie sank into a chair, "you either do this thing properly or you decline it, you give it up."
"Can I? I thought the die was cast."
"The worldly man in me echoes that hope, but I _could_ get Atherton to take your place even now."
"Even now?" echoed Philip Ogilvie.
"Even now it may be possible to manage it, although I"--Lord Grayleigh had a flashing memory of Sibyl"s face and the look in her eyes, when she spoke of her perfect father. Then he glanced at the man who, silent and with suppressed suffering in his face, stood before him.
The irresolution in Ogilvie"s face took something from its character, and seemed to lower the man"s whole nature. Lord Grayleigh shivered; then the uncomfortable sensation which the memory of Sibyl gave him pa.s.sed away.
"I shall regret it extremely if you cannot do what I want," he said, with emphasis.
Ogilvie had a quick sensation of momentary relief. His wife owed another two thousand pounds. It would be bankruptcy, ruin if he did not go. He stood up.
"The time for discussing the thing is over," he said. "I will go--and--do _as you wish_. The only thing to put straight is the price down."
"What do you mean by the price down?"
"I want money."
"Of course, you shall have it."
"I want more than my expenses, and something to cover the loss to my business which my absence may create."
"How much more?" Lord Grayleigh looked at him anxiously.
"Ten thousand pounds in cash now, to be placed to my credit in my bank."
"Ten thousand pounds in cash! That is a big order."
"Not too big for what you require me to do. You make hundreds of thousands by me eventually; what is one ten thousand? It will relieve my mind and set a certain matter straight. The fact is--I will confide in you so far--my own pecuniary affairs are anything but flourishing.
I have had some calls to meet. What little property I own is settled on my wife. You know that a man cannot interfere with his marriage settlements. I have one child. I want to make a special provision for her."
"I know your child," said Lord Grayleigh, in a very grave tone; "she is out of the common."
A spasm of pain crossed the father"s face.
"She is," he answered slowly. "I wish to make a provision for her. If I die (I may die, we are all mortal; I am going to a distant place; possibilities in favor of death are ten per cent. greater than if I remain at home)--if I die, this will be hers. It will comfort me, and make it absolutely impossible for me to go back. You understand that sometimes a miserable starved voice within me speaks. I allude to the voice of conscience. However much it clamors, I cannot listen to it when that sum of money lies in the bank to my credit, with my last will and testament leaving it eventually to my daughter."
"I would not give your daughter such a portion, if I were you,"
thought Lord Grayleigh, but he did not say the words aloud. He said instead, "What you wish shall be done."
The two men talked a little longer together. Certain necessary arrangements were concluded, and Ogilvie bore in his pocket before he left a check for ten thousand pounds on Lord Grayleigh"s private account.